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E. R. RAMSEY & J. H. MEYER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE TUBULAR ARMOR.

APPLICATION TILED I'EILB, 1914.

m a mwm Wm H i mfi 5w 6 y m v e am I... H w 1 t i m Em E. R. RAMSEY & J. H. MEYER. MACHINE FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE TUBULAR ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEELS, 1914. I

Patnted Aug. 4, 191% 4 SIIBBTS SHEET 2.

In venturs':

Meyer 1B. R. RAMSEY 6; J. H. MEYER. 1 MAGHINE FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE TUBULAR ARMOE.

APPLICATION FILED IHILB, 1914.

l, 105,836, Patented Al'1g.4, 1914.

4 SHEBTS--BHEET 3.

u My 1ml!" .4.

In mentors.- Edfa 1?. Rams y 01ml H. Me ymr' f/L A E. R. RAMSEY & J. H. MEYER. MACHINE FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE TUBULARARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEE.3,1914.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

1 EHEETS- HHEBT 4.

m ME Nieyar %/Q ATTORHEK WITNESSES lddfiliihllll illllihlllllhl,

mmmwumm mm EDIA R. RAMSEY AND JOHN MEYER, OF TENN YAN, NEW YORK; SAID ltllll'i'flfilth ASSIGN'OR TO SAID RAMSEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING FLEXIBLE TUBULAR ARMOB.

mosses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed lfi'ehrunry 3. 1914.. Serial No. 816,282.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known. that We, 'Eom It. RAMSEY and Jorriv H. MEYER, citizens of the United States of America, and residing at Penn Yan, in the county of Yates and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Melting Flexible Tubular Armor, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates particularly to mechines for winding or coiling a strip or strips of metal so as to form a tube or to cover a rope, hose or cable.

The main object is to provide a simple, compact, inexpensive machine which can be readily operated economically to form a uniform product.

Another object is to provide 11. machine in which the roduct can be made automati' cally from t -he ordinary thin, flat strips.

Another object is to facilitate adjustments to compensate for variation in the size and temper of the metallic strips.

Another object is to facilitate repair, sub stituticn and replacement of parts.

The invention in its preferred :iorm' briefly considered, consists of a stationary mandrel and a winding head rotating about the axis of said mandrel, carrying two reels of flat strips together with driven rolls for groov ing the strips and oopo-sitely disposed inclined curved uides for directing the strips to the mandr The rolls are driven so its to supply the strips to the mandrel at just the rightlinecr speed to furnish the necessary tension for uniform winding on the mandrel. The product slips off the end of the mandrel. and draws down slightly. By adjusting the mandrel in or out the drawing down may be regulated as desired. Dili'er ent sizes of product may be made on the same machine by employing the proper gears and mandrel. B T using ehollow mandrel,

a. rope, hose or on le can be arn'iored by simply feeding the proper core througl'i the mandrel so that the armor as it is formed can draw down upon the core. The guides are preferably detnchably carried by :1. fixture plate which is itself detachable readily from the heed. i

Other details of improvement will be pointed out hereinafter and specified in the claims.

Mam-m The -.iccon11mnying drawings illustrate the invention in e concrete and practical. form. but as this is primarily for illustrative purposes it will be understood.that various changes and modifications may be mode without departure from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

Figure l, is u liront elevation of the mam ne, as ready tor operation, one of the strip reels being shown partly broken away. i 1g. 2, 1s a lan view, with the tubular supporting she ft and one of the bearings broken away and shown in section. Fig. 3, is a rear view of the coiling hood and relatcd'parts, taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached detail views of the grooved rolls for the outer and inner strips respectively, these views beinc' taken from the right, looking toward the left in Fig. 1. Fig. (i, is a partly sectional view of a: piece of cable armor as formed in the machine. Fig. i, is a face view of the detached fixture plate, showing; in dotted lines the relative positions ol the various parts curried thereby. Fig. 8, is d sectionalv view of the fixture plate rind associated parts. this view being taken substan tially on the plane of the line 8--8 of Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are edge and side views respectively of the push-oil plate or member which is carried by the fixture plate and. which forms a. helical. continuation of the inclined puslnotl shoulder for the inner armor strip. Figs. 11 and 12 are edge and side views of the member curried by the push- -oli' plate and which forms it port of the in clined pushed shoulder for the outer armor strip. Fig. 13, is'o fragmentary sectional view illustrating the adjustable mounting for the mandrel.

inferring now to the drawings more in detail; a, indicates the frame or supporting stri'icture of the machine, provided with suitable hearings in which is journaled the tubular supporting: shall; it. or other suitable means provided to? l toting this shaft. A, brake (not shown) may r shaft and held clamped in its h'lngitudinal receive the spools b 5 which carry'supplies I of thin metal strips 5 I). These spools may be held against unwinding'too readily by suitable means for instance, the retaining nuts 22 on the ends of the spool shafts b".

The driving of the grooving rolls is effected through the medium of shafts 0, c journaledin the head and extending from the front to the rear side thereof, these shafts carrying gears c on their rear ends meshing with a stationary gear 0 fast on the supporting frame and gears c on their forward ends 'meshing with intermediate gears c which in turn engage with gears (Z and e on the driven grooving roll shafts (Z and 6 respectively. Mounted on the grooving roll shaft (Z is a pinion (Z in mesh with a pinion (Z on the second grooving roll shaft d this latter shaft carrying the concave member cl and the first or driven shaft (P, the convex member at of a pair of grooving rolls. A guide (i serves to direct the first or inner armor strip .6 to this pair of grooving rolls and from these rolls. the grooved strip is gradually bent and directed toward themandrel by a curved guide ('Z". The inner grooved strip is coiled about the mandrel with the groove therein facing outwardly, as indicated in Fig. 8. One of the rolls (d of this oair, is shown mounted in a bracket al whic 1 may be made adjustable on the head for the purpose of bringing the rolls into proper operative relation. The second armor strip 7) is directed by the guide 6 to the second set of grooving rolls,

consisting of the concave member a on the driven grooving roll shaft 6 and the coacting convex member s on the shaft a this latter roll being mounted in a bracket c The two rolls of this pair'are positively coupled together by the intermeshing pinions c and c on the shafts of the respective rolls. The second or outer armor strip issues from this second set of grooving rolls with a longitudinal groqve therein which faces in this case toward the inner strip on the mandrel and the outer grooved strip is guided from the rolls to the mandrel by a curved guide e I The manner in which the grooved strips are positively guided and coiled in overlapped interlocking relation on the mandrel will be more clearly understood from Fig. 8, which shows the fixture plate and its appurtenant parts. This fixture plate 7', is shown detachably secured to the rotating head travels to the far side of the passage. The

strip bears with one edge against the abutment and guided and gradually bent toward the passage by the curved guide plate d", which, as shown, is secured flat against the inclined face bybolts f and extends from a point adjacent the grooving rolls at the base of the incline, up to and partially around the passagc terminating in a hookshaped end f which by partially encircling the passage, serves to positively hold the first convolution and assist in laying it in proper coiled form on the mandrel. From the guiding facef the -1nner strip passes onto the face of a member f seated in a recess f in the fixture plate and disposed on an angle to form a helical continuation of the inclined bearing face f. v This member preferably is made of hardened steel so as to form a push-off shoulder for the first or inner strip. The guide 6 for the second or cuter strip is curved similarly to the guide for the first stri so as to bend the second strip while guiding it to'the mandrel, and this guide 6 like the first guide, also terminates in a hook-shaped projection 0 partially encincling the mandrel to thereby positively hold the coil last formed in the outer strip, in proper shape. An inclined guide face 57 for the second or outer armor strip mayabe arranged on the fixture plate at the opposite side of the passage from the first inclined abutment face and extend from said side over to the farther side of the passage. A guide member 9 also of hardened steel may be secured to the pushoff plate-f", forming'a continuation of guide face 9. This member g? is, as shown in Fig. 8, disposed parallel 'toi'and spaced in frontof the member I a distance approximately equal to one-half the width of the inner strip, by reason of which it serves to lap.

the second or outer strip about one-half the width. over the inner strip; This final pushoff plate 9 is spaced away from the mandrel as indicated at to thereby provide a curved annular wall surrounding the mandrel serving to confine the first convolution of the inner strip in true coiled form. The manner in which the inclined shoulder for thc'second strip is offset forwardly from the shoulder for the first strip also clearly appears in Fig. 8. By this arrangement the outer convex strip is laid in overlapping order over the convolutions of the inner concave strip and thereby serves to securely interlock and tie the whole together in a unitary structure. In some cases it has been found that the plate g may be omitted entirely. Suitable guards it may be provided for holding the strips in engagement with the inclined guiding faces. When feeding in the strips preparatory to starting the machine, these guards, which as shown, may be mounted on the bolts may be swung to one side out of the way. Also if found necessary the guide plates may be loosened or entirely removed so. as not to interfere with the strips being ied about the mandrel. The open construction and ready accessibility of the fixture plate and associated parts make the preliminary feeding in of the strips a very simple matter.

The speed of the grooving rolls is governed by the gearing which drives the rolls and the atio of this gearing is preferably such that the armor strips will be grooved and fed forwardly by these rolls at a rate slightly less than the rate of the bodily movement of these rolls about the surface of .the mandrel so as to feed the exact amount of stock required for the product.

The speed of these rolls being uniformly proportional to the rotations of the head in sures a uniform feed irrespective of the rate of rotation of the head or the weight of, stock in the reels. This gives a uniform tension to the coiled strips on the mandrel and causes the coils as they slide off the mandrel to draw down to the same uniform size.

The operation is as follows :--As the winding head rotates about the axis of the mandrel, the grooving rolls rotate, positively drawing the strips from the reel. at a uniform rate, grooving the strips and advancing the grooved strips toward the mandrel. The tension devices at the reels are adjusted lightly to prevent the strips unwinding too freely from the reels. After leaving the grooving rolls, the strips pass up the oppositely inclined abutment faces on their way to the mandrel, during which time the coiling action is begun by gradually bend ing the strips toward the mandrel by means of the' curved guide plates. The inner con cave armor strip passes up the inclined guide face f of the fixture plate into engagement with the mandrel and on around onto the inclined push-oil plate 7" which forms a heli ca]. continuation of the guide face. The brick-shaped end 7' of the curved guide plate 0?? holds the portion of inner strip bearing on the inclined face 7' in proper coiled shape and the curved retaining wall 7 of the push-off 9 holds the final coiled portion of the inner strip which bears upon the first puslrotl' plate, in true coiled form. The outer convex armor strip travels up the inclined shoulder of the fixture plate and the second push oil plate (it used) into ovcrlap 'iing engagen'ient over two ailjoiniug convolutions ot' the inner strip and is held in proper coiled engagement with the two inner convolutions by the hookshapcd end c of the second curved guide plate. In the continued rotation of the winding head, the coiled and completed armor slips forward of? the mandrel and the coils draw .down to a uniform reduced diamctcr, this drawing down being; occasioned by the action of the grooving rolls in feeding the strips at a lesser linear rate than the bodily rotary movement of the strips about the mandrel. The eilect of these driven rolls feeding less than enough strip to encircle the mandrel for each revolution of the rolls about the mandrel is to tension the strips and to cause the coils sliding oil the mandrel to rotate slightly as they leave the mandrel and thus to coil closer into au' ore compact structure of uniformly reduced diameter.

As the tension and other characteristics will vary when operating with strips of different thickness, flexihility, etc., it will be necessary at times to change the rate of feed of the strips and to alter the efi'ective length of the mandrel. The change of feel is accomplished by changing the ratio of gearing, which may readily be done by simply substituting, different pinions and idlers c 0 or by usin grooving rolls of different diameter. Tlie adjustment of the mandrel with respect to the puslrofi' shoulders is readily accomplished by loosening the clamping screw nd shifting the mandrel sha'lt longit'i-idinnl y until the proper length of mandrel/is exposed beyond the ceiling guides so as to secure the exact diameter oi product required.

This invention makes possible the forming of tubular armor in any size desired in a single continuous and uninterrupted op' eration and the forming of the armor either as a hollow tube or applying it direct to a cable or other core.

Obviously the product may he wound up on a suitable reel with guides, takeuips, etc,

as is customary in the winding and coilengagement upon the mandrel and an abutment against which the grooved strio bears whereby to force the armor as it is coiled forward oft the mandrel.

2. In a machine for making flexible armor from thin metal strips, the combination with a mandrel on which the strips are coiled. ot a winding; head rotating about the axis of said mandrel and provided with an inclined shoulder for pushing the completed armor oil the mandrel, means for su porting a sup-- ply of the thin armor strips on the'winding head, grooving rolls on the winding, head for longitudinally grooving the strips into interlocking" shape and means for directing the grooved strips from the grooving rolls to the mandrel in overlappingrelation.

3. In a machine for making flexible armor from metal strips, the combination of a relatively stationary mandrel, grooving rolls for transversely curving the strips, means for rotating the grooving rolls bodily about the 'm'andrcl to thereby coil the grooved strips in interlocked engagement upon the mandrel and an abutment carriedby the said rotatin}; means and against which the grooved strip bears to thereby "force the completed armor forward off the mandrel.

4-. in a machine for making flexible armor from metal strips, the combination of a rotating: coiling head, adixture plate carriedby said head. a centrally disposed mandrel projecting from the face of the firture plate, said fixture plate having an inclined shouldcr extending on an outward ant from a point at one side of the mandrel to the farther side of the mandrel, grooving; rolls carried by the rotating coiling head and locatcd adjacent the base of the inclined shoulder and a guide on the inclined shoulder directing the grooved strip issuing from the grooving rolls up said inclined shoulder into engagement with the mandrel at the far side thereof.

5. In a machine for m a king flexible armor from the metal strips, the combination of a rotating coiling head, a finture plate carricd by said head, a centrally disposed mandrel projecting from the fa ol the fir 'turl plate, oppositely inclined shoulders carried. by tl-c fixture plate at opposite sides of the niaudrcl, each of said shoulders critcndiiui' from its lowest point at one Shh ot' the mandrel to the farther side of the mandrel and one of the said shudders lacing; nit-set for a'rdlv from the plow of the other shoulder a distance equal to approximately half the width of the strips, :gruo\ iug rolls car-- ried by the rotating hcad adjacent the bases of the inclined shoulders and guides each directing one of; the grooved strips issuing from the grooving rolls up one at the inclined shoulders and into engagement with the mandrel at the far side thereof to thereby coil the grooved strips in overlapping interlocked engagement upon the mandrel.

6. In a machine for making flexible armor from metal strips, the combination with a mandrel upon which the strips are coiled, of acoiling head rotating about the axis of the mandrel, a fixture plate carried by said head from which the mandrel projocts, oppositely inclined bearing faces on mor, a rotating head, strip-carrying reels I carried thereby on opposite sides of thcaxis of said head, a fixture plate having oppositcly incl ned strip-guiding faces and unincliucd shoulder for Forcing oil the inner.

strip, a curved guide plate scoured against the face of said fixture plate for directing the inner strip to said shoulder and another curved guide plate for directing the outer strip so as to cause it to overlap the edges of the inner strip.

8. In a machine for inaking fiexible armor, the combination of a rotating coiling head, a fixture plate carried thereby, pro:

' vided with a centrally disposed passage, an

inclined shoulder on said plate extending" on an outward slant from a point at one side of the passage to the farther side of the passage, a guide for directing one of the armor strips up the said inclined shoulder to the far side of the passage, :1, second in clined shoulder on the opposite side of the fixture plate from' thc first inclined shoulder, extending outm ard on a slant tothe fan, i

thcr side of the passage audlofi -set for- 'ardly from-tho'plane of the first shoulder and a guide for directing a second armor strip up the second inclined shoulder liqthe far side of the passage.

f). In a machine tor nalnng flexible armm: the combination of a. rotating'c oiling'" head pri'widcd witlra central passagegan inclined shoulder on said head extending on an outward slant from a point at one side of the passage to the farther side of said adjacent the base of the inclined shoulder, a uuide mounted on said inclined shoulder arranged to direct the grooved strip 'iss up; from the grooving rolls up said s oulder to the farther side of the pa a scrcud inclined shoulder on the"hcad" at the side of the passage opposite th first shoulder and cxtendln-g from 'said 'su e to the far side ofthe passage, grooving rolls pa sap c, grooving rolls mounted on the head ssago',"

mining Wall inclosing the coiled portion of plate and a movable guei d extending bethe ilglel strip bearing on the first inclined yond the inner edge'pf "said guide plate. shoul er.

18. In a machine for making flexible ar- 5 mor, a rotating Winding head, a detachable fixture plate carried thereby and having a -Witnesses: central passage, a curved guide plate (16- J ROME OKEEFE, tachably carried by the face of said fixture MARY R. RAMSEY. 

